New analysis by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) using data from the 2011 Census has revealed the characteristics of the average Australian. The latest Australian Social Trends report has shown that the average Australian is a 37 year old woman.

ABS Director of Social and Progress Reporting Jane Griffin-Warwicke said "while we know that no single person is average in all respects, the Census shows that if there was an average Australian, they would be a married woman, living with her husband and two children in a three bedroom house in a suburb of one of Australia's capital cities.

“They have lived in that house for at least five years, and have a mortgage where they pay $1800 a month.

“The average Australian was also born in Australia, as were both of her parents.

“We can also use Census data to look at how the average has changed over time. For example 50 years ago the average Australian was a 29 year old man, and 100 years ago the average Australian was a 24 year old man," she said.

Despite large increases in recent years in the number of people with no religion or with a non-Christian religion, Catholicism remains Australia's largest religion.

"Between the 1981 and the 1986 Census, Catholics overtook Anglicans as Australia's largest religious group," she said.

All AST articles are available in full online at www.abs.gov.au/socialtrends

Media notes:

When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.